Method of making truck-lever spreaders



April .1929. w. H. STOCKING 1,707,543

METHOD OF MAKING TRUCK LEVER SPREADERS Filed Dec. 14,' 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FJG .I.

EIGHT W .FIGJZZ'.

- INVENTOR April 1929.

FIGTLK NNNNNN 0R April 2, w. H. STOCKING 1,707,543

METHOD OF MAKING TRUCK LEVER SPREADERS Filed Dec. 14, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG/Y INVENTOR Fatented Apr. 2, 1929.

Y time UNETED S eins PATENT orr cs.

WALTER H. STOCKING, OF CORAO'POLIS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQR TO PITTSBURGH. FORGINGS OOMPAN'Y, 0F CORAOPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELA- wane.

METHOD MAKINGTRUCK-LEVEB SPREADERS.

Application filed Decemher l, 1827. Serial-No. 239,929.

My invention relates to'the forming of truck lever Spreaders. These are rod-like members with bifurcated ends, formed of steel. In service they are pivotally attached at their ends to the two brake levers which constitute a pair upon the truck of a railway car, and their purpose is to distribute the strains of braking between the brake-shoes in the engagement of the brake-shoes upon apair the article is distorted and the weld ruptured.

The article of my invention belongs in another class. It is made of a single PlGCOOffflGtEtl without 7 welds and is, therefore, seamless. lt Iy further object is to produce a one-piece, non-welded, scan'iless article which shall con- "tain no surplus material; it shall be of minimum weight consistent with its strength, or, conversely stated, of maximum strength consistent with its weight. Finally, it is my object to attain the ends stated by manufacturing operations which are practicable, and to produce the articles economically.

In describing the method in which my invention is found I shall allude to the accom panying drawings. Figs. I, II, and III show each of them in side elevation and, adjacently placed and to larger scale), in transverse section, three exemplary lengths of stock, citherof which I may employ to. produce the intended article. Fig. IV shows similarly in side elevation and, adjacently placed (and to larger scale), in transverse section, the blank produced from either of the lengths of stock shown in I, II, and III, ready for performance uponit of those steps in which my invention particularly is found. Figs. V and VI are diagrammatic views in perspective each of one of a pair of upsetting dies and the corresponding plunger, by the operation of which a length of stock such as that shown in Fig. II, for instance, may be shaped to the blank of Fig. IV. Fig. VII is a fragmentary view in side elevation (and to larger scale) of one end of the article, after it has undergone the first of the successive steps in which my invention particularly is found: the drop for ing step, namely. Fig. VIII is a view in perspective of one of the dies in which the blank of Fig. IV is shaped to the form shown in Fig. VII. Fig. IX is a View in transverse and vertical section, on the plane indicated by the line IXIX, Fig. VIII, through the pair of drop-forging dies inficlosed posit-ion. Xfis a fragmentary view in side elevation of one end of the article after it has undergone the drop-forging step,,and in this view the position of a certain saw-cut is indicated. Fig. X'l is a view corresponding to Fig. X, and showing the article after it has undergone the next ensuing step of spreading apart the sawn-asunder bifurcations. Fig. XII'is a diagrammatic view in perspective of one'of the pair of dies and of the plunger, by which the article as shown in Fig. X is brought to the shape shown n Fig. XI. I

Beginning with a length of stock, such as the elliptical rod of Fig. II, 1 x 1%" andv 63" long (to given specific example), I enlarge the ends in one or more successive upsetting operations, illustrated in Figs, V and VI, and'produce the blank of Fig. IV. The shank is unchanged. The heads gin with the long h of stock shown in Fig. III, instead of upse ting the ends, I should, by rolling in well known manner, or by equivalent operation, reduce themid-portion, and so attain the blank of Fig. IV.

The heads of the blank produced in one or the other of the operations indicated, I subject to a drop-forging operation, between dies, as ilhistrated in Figs. VIII and IX, and

are 2 x 1 0, and 9 lon vVere I to beford needed strength. This is accomplished by increase of thickness peripherally and relative decrease of thickness throughout intermediate areas. Hitherto, the heads of these articles have been produced by upset ting; but by upsetting no such particular distribution of material as the drawings show is possible. The whole head must in upsetting be made of m Ximum thickness, or substantially such. In consequence, more material is used than is needed. There is run due weight and waste. Subsequent cutting away of surplus material is forbidden, since the cutting away vould cost more than the gain would come to. By introducing the drop-forging step of my invention, substan tial economy is attained. And there is still greater economy. The upset head of the prior art is necessarily made solid and, after it has otherwise been completed, the pivot hole or holes have to be drilled through. Perforation in such manner is slow and cost- 1y. Having resorted to drop-forging to give to the head its essential external contour, I produce by drop-forging an article which is substantially perforate and which, incidentally to its further preferred method of fabrication, is rendered completely perforate, and this without any boring at all, and with substantial saving of time and money. Referring particularly to Fig. TX, the drop-forg ing dies will be seen to be formed with cooperating columnar portions 4;, which produce in the forged article opposite deep circular recesses or wells separated only by a thin septum 5 of metal. This septum may be understood to be in thickness. The metal displaced by the columnar portions 4 of the closing dies goes to the formation of the bosses 2 which surround the recesses.

The article it comes from the drop-forging step of the operation is illustrated in Fig. VII. The flash 1 is cut away, and it then remains in the condition shown in side elevation in Fig. X. The forged head is, as the next step in the operation, split, preferably by sawing. In Fig. X the saw-cut is indicated by dotted lines at 6. It is sunk from the tip of the article inward, in longitudinal and medial plane, from right to left, Fig. X. T he breadth of the kerf is here indicated to be and it will conveniently be sufficient to cut away and remove entirely as it is sunk, the septum of metal 5 left by the forging dies separating the aligned recesses sunk from opposite surfaces. Removal of this septum leaves the desired perforations, penetrating completely each of the furcations which the saw-cut produces. Manifestly, the recesses may be less deeply sunk and the splitting of the head may leave portions of the septum still ren'iaining and so boring may be necessary, and yet my invention will still, even though incompletely and imperfectly, be enjoyed.

Referring to Figs. XI and X11, the fur cations produced by splitting the head are spread by plunger between dies, and so the article is brought to its ultimate shape. It then remains only to ream out the perforations, an operation which is necessary, by

whatever method the perforations be produced.

I call attention again to the prolongation of the pivot holes through the depth of bosses 4. This prolongation aifords maximum re sistance to pin wear. By these and by the peripheral bosses the head is strengthened and made rigid, to resist compressive strains, and

as I have said, the quantity of metal is re-' are smmratcdby a septum of metal, slotting the forged head on a longitudinal plane coincident with the plane of the said septum and in such slotting removing the said septum and leaving the furcations perforate, and spreadin apart the perforate furcations.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER H. STOCKING.

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